Rolling mills



- Filed Dec. 12, 1966 v Sheet April 15, 1969 J. H. BEARD ET AL 4 3,438,996

ROLLING MILLS INVENTORS JACK H. BEARD HAROLD HOOLE 8J-(LLAN HAYES April 15, 1969 J. H. BEARD ETAL 3,438,996

ROLLING MILLS Filed Dec. 12, 1965 Sheet 2 of 3 INVENTORS JACK H.BEARD HAROLD HOOLE BY 81ALLAN HAYES Tl-EIR ATTORNEY April 15, 1969 J. H. BEARD ET AL 3,438,996

ROLLING MILLS Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Sheet 3 of 5 27 FIG .4.

INVENTORS JACK H.BEARD HAROLD HOOLE BY 8xALLAN HAYES ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 72-239 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roll changing apparatus for a rolling mill including a roll support having two platforms, one above the other, the upper one of which is removable from the lower one. The roll support is vertically movable so that either of the platforms may be positioned for transfer of the rolls between that platform and the mill.

This invention relates to rolling mills and roll change apparatus therefor and improvement in the invention which is the subject of our co-pending application No. 564,712.

The invention of our said co-pending application provides roll changing apparatus for a rolling mill comprising a roll support adjacent the rolling mill, the roll support having two platforms, one above the other, each adapted to support a pair of rolls, the roll support being vertically movable so that either of the platforms may be positioned for transfer of the rolls between that platform and the mill, and between that platform and a roll storage area.

According to the present invention the said roll changing apparatus has a said roll support of which the upper platform is removable, the lower platform being adapted to support at least one back-up roll.

In a preferred form the invention provides a 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig at one side of the mill, the rig having two vertically spaced platforms the upper one of which is removable and is adapted to support a pair of work rolls and the lower one of which is adapted to support a back-up roll or a pair of back-up rolls, and, at another time, a pair of work rolls, means for raising and lowering the rig to align either of the platforms with the work roll supports, means for transferring rolls between a roll storage area and a platform of the rig, means located on the opposite side of the mill for transferring work rolls between the mill and rig, and means located on the rig side of the mill for transferring back-up rolls between the mill and the rig.

The said means for transferring rolls between a roll storage area and a platform of the rig can comprise means for transferring the work rolls and separate means for transferring the back-up rolls.

Preferably the lower work roll is nested in the upper work roll and the upper work roll chocks carry wheels which are arranged to run on tracks on the platforms. Similarly the back-up rolls can be arranged so that the upper roll is supported during transfer on the lower roll. Furthermore, the back-up rolls can be movable on a sledge or wheels arranged to run on appropriate tracks on the lower platform.

The means for transferring the work rolls between the platform and the mill can comprise beams movable through the mill and having latches engageable with the work roll chocks, and those for the back-up rolls can comprise a rod movable by an hydraulic ram and having a latch engageable, e.g. with a roll supporting sledge, to

3,438,996 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 ice pull the old back-up rolls from the mill and push the new ones into the mill. Preferably tracks extend between the roll storage area and the rig, normal to the pass-line of the mill, for transferring rolls between the roll storage area and the rig. These tracks can be used in conjunction with the roll change apparatus of our co-pending application No. 52,906/65 so that they align the tracks on a bogey, as described therein, for accepting the used rolls and supplying new rolls to the mill tracks, the latter forming a so-called corresponding track referred to in the co-pending application.

The roll change apparatus of the latter application comprises a bogey having at least two tracks for carrying rolls thereon which tracks can be aligned with a corresponding track for carrying rolls, the bogey being movable so that a roll or rolls can be transferred between a track on the bogey and a said corresponding track and the bogey realigned to transfer a roll or rolls between said other track on the bogey and the said corresponding track.

Although, as described in our said co-pending application, the roll change rig can be supported on slideways so that it can be moved away from the mill normal to the pass-line of the mill if desired, the rig should be supported from the foundations due to the high load of the back-up rolls. However, preferably the rig is fixed in relation to the mill and is supported by the foundations.

Embodiments of the roll changing apparatus according to the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a section through the centre of the mill, normal to the pass-line thereof, through elevator cylinders of the roll change rig and shows only an old work roll unit and the lower of the two back-up rolls on the mill, the remaining back-up roll not being shown, and a new work roll unit disposed on the roll change rig,

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross-section of the roll change rig, showing both an old work roll unit and a new work roll unit in position on the rig,

FIGURE 3 is a similar transverse cross-section of the rig showing a back-up roll thereon, and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURE 3.

A 4-high mill 12 has housings 13, 14 between which are supported upper and lower back-up rolls, of which only the lower roll 16 is shown which has chocks 18 for supporting the roll necks thereof, and a work roll unit 20. The work roll unit 20 comprises a pair of rolls 21, 22 the chocks 23 of the upper roll having downwardly extending arms 24 into which the chocks 25 of the lower roll are nested, and which carry wheels 26. The arrangement of the mill and rolls is similar to that described in British patent specification No. 946,427 and in our co-pending application and will not be further described herein.

On the non-drive side of the mill, is arranged a roll change rig 27 which is fixed t0 the foundations by base plates 50. The roll change rig has a lower platform 31 and an upper platform 32, which are spaced apart by vertical members 33, each platform having two spaced tracks 51 adapted to receive the wheels 26 of a work roll unit. The lower platform 31 is also provided with two spaced back-up roll tracks 52, which allow a work roll unit or back-up rolls to be rolled onto or off the lower platform. Extending between the pairs of tracks on the lower platform 31 is a rod 53 which is shown broken in FIGURE 1 and which is connected to an hydraulic ram (not shown) at the opposite end of the rig 27 to the mill and which has at its other end a latch 54 running on a guide wheel 55 and pivoted at 56. The guide wheel 55 runs on a track 57 which is disposed on the lower platform '31. The latch 54 is adapted to engage a hook 58 on a sledge 37 supporting the lower back-up roll 16 through supports 65. It is important that the upper platform 32 is removable from the rig and in the embodiment shown in the drawings the upper platform 32 is held in position by wedges 59 which pass through appropriately shaped holes in webs 60 of anchor members 61 which are attached to the main structure of the rig and channel members 6 2 which are attached to the platform 32. When the time comes for the upper platform to be removed the wedges '59 are hammered out to release the members 62 from the members '61 and the platform is lifted clear of the rig. Along the centre line, in relation to FIGURE 2 of the rig 27 are disposed two hydraulic jacks 34 of which the cylinders are fixed to the foundations by base plates 50 and the rods are secured to girders in the structure of the rig, pressurised fluid for raising and lowering the platforms together being supplied to the jacks. In the lower position of the rig, the tracks on the upper platform are at floor level 36 and are aligned with tracks which extend between the rig and the roll storage area, normal to the pass-line of the mill. In the upper position of the rig the tracks on the lower platform are raised to floor level and aligned with the tracks between the roll storage area and the rig.

The means for transferring the work roll unit between the roll change rig of the mill is similar to that described in British patent specification No. 946,427, comprising beams located on the drive side of the mill and extendable through the mill and having latches engageable with the work roll chocks at 66 for pulling rolls from the rig into the mill and pushing rolls from the mill onto the rig.

The operation of the apparatus for changing work rolls is exactly the same as that described in our said copending application.

If, however, the back-up rolls are to be changed the sequence of events is somew at different. The old work rolls are first withdrawn onto the rig and thence to the roll storage area. Although not shown in the drawings, the upper back-up roll can be supported on the lower back-up roll by spacers as described in our said copending application. With such an arrangement the upper back-up roll is lowered until it is supported through the spacers on the lower back-up roll. The ram which is attached to the rod 53 is operated so that the sledge 37 which now supports both the back-up rolls is pulled by the latch '54 from the mill onto the back-up roll tracks 52 on the lower platform of the rig after the upper platform has been removed after hammering out the wedges 59 and lifting the platform away as described above.

When the pair of back-up rolls is positioned on the lower platform the pair can be removed therefrom by using a crane which lifts the lower back-up roll at pulleys 63 disposed at each end of the chocks :18 and fixed to the chocks by pins '64.

Alternatively, the chocks of the lower back-up roll can be provided with wheels (not shown) which run on associated tracks on the lower platform. The withdrawal of the back-up rolls is similarly accomplished to the case where they are supported on the sledge 37, the latch 54 engaging with a hood (not shown) on the chocks of the lower back-up roll. When the chocks are provided with wheels the rig can be raised from its lower position until the lower platform supporting the pair of back-up rolls is level with the floor tracks and the rolls are simply run off, e.g. using an electric truck, onto these tracks without the need for using a crane.

After the old back-up rolls have been removed, new ones are transferred into the mill by the reverse process.

The upper platform 32 is then replaced and a new work roll unit is run into the upper platform of the rig and thence into the mill.

The old back-up rolls can aternatively be withdrawn from the mill singly as shown in the drawings. In this event, the lower back-up roll 16 is removed first, in the same way as described for the pair of back-up rolls and then the upper back-up roll is removed in a similar way after it has been dropped to the lower back-up roll position in the mill.

When rolls are run on a track from the rig 27, the track can be used with a roll change apparatus according to our co-pending appication No. 52,906/65 and old rolls changed with new rolls via the bogey of the apparatus described herein.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the hydraulic jacks 34 can be replaced by screw jacks driven by an electric motor through gearing.

If it is desired to change the work roll unit 20 only, then the roll support is raised until the lower platform is at floor level. A new work roll unit 20a is then run on to the lower platform and the roll support is lowered until the upper platform is at floor level. The old work roll unit 20 is then removed from the mill on to the upper platform and thence to the roll storage area after which the roll support is raised until the lower platform is at floor level and the new work roll unit 20a is then run into the mill.

However, we desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. Roll changing apparatus for a rolling mill comprising a roll support adjacent the rolling mill, the roll support having two platforms, one above the other, the upper of the two platforms adapted to support a pair of work rolls, the roll support being vertically movable so that either of the platforms may be positioned for trans fer of the rolls between that platform and the mill, and between that platform and a roll storage area, the upper of the two platforms being removable and the lower platform being adapted to support at least one back-up roll and, at another time a pair of work rolls.

2. Roll changing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support is mounted so that it can be withdrawn away from the mill.

3. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with roll changing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig at one side of the mill, the rig having two vertically spaced platforms the upper one of which is removable and is adapted to support a pair of work rolls and the lower one of which is adapted to support a backup roll or a pair of back-up rolls and, at another time, a pair of work rolls, means for raising and lowering the rig to align either of the platforms with the work roll supports, means for transferring rolls between a roll storage area and a platform of the rig, means located on the opposite side of the mill for transferring work rolls between the mill and rig, and means located on the rig side of the mill for transferring back-up rolls between the mill and the rig.

5. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to claim 4 wherein the means for transferring rolls between a roll storage area and a platform of the mill comprise means for transferring work rolls and separate means for transferring back-up rolls.

6. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to claim 5 wherein the mill has work rolls of which the lower work roll is nested with the upper work roll and the upper work roll chocks carry wheels which are arranged to run on tracks on the platforms.

7. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to claim 6 wherein the means for transferring the work rolls between the mill and the rig comprise beams movable through the mill and having latches engageable with the work roll chocks.

8. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to any of claim 7 wherein the rig is slidably supported on slideways so that it can be moved away from the mill normal to the pass-line thereof.

9. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to claim 4 including tracks which extend between the roll storage area and the rig, normal to the pass-line of the mill, for transferring rolls between the roll storage area and the rig.

10. A 4-high rolling mill in combination with a roll change rig according to claim 9 in combination with a bogey having at least two sets of tracks for carrying rolls thereon which sets can be aligned with the said tracks between the storage area and the rig, the bogey being movable so that a roll or rolls can be transferred between a set of tracks on the bogey and the tracks between the storage area and the rig and the bogey realigned to transfer a roll or rolls between the other said set of tracks on the bogey and the tracks between the storage area and the rig.

11. A roll changing apparatus for a rolling mill, comprising a roll support located in a pit adjacent the rolling mill, the roll support including a platform adapted to support a pair of work rolls, means for elevating the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,221,530 12/1965 Swallow et al. 72-239 3,323,345 6/1967 Lyle et al. 72-239 3,376,724 4/ 1968 Wolfendale et a1. 72239 RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner.

B. F. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

